Harvey Lewis ran 462 miles in 111 hours with no proper rest and broke the US national record.
Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra is one of the most demanding ultras devised. Runners complete a 4.16 mile loop every hour until they quit or fail to complete it in time. It’s 100 miles per day in 24 sections with no opportunity for proper rest.
Harvey previously won this event and set national and world records for the format. He was itching to get started again this year.
Different laps saw him wear a dress shirt and play maracas for a lap. Hours and days passed, and Harvey was one of the elite few remaining as day four started with 72 hours and 300 miles behind them.
He was one of two who completed an incredible 111 laps before finishing. This was the joint 6th-best result of all time for the format. The two who continued set the two best-ever performances.
This extended Harvey’s US records.
Running broken!
Around lap 99, Harvey had a fall and thought as it was bruised ribs, he should just continue. He later found out that he had broken two ribs. He had run another 12 laps (50 miles) in this state.
“I went to the urgent care on Friday night when I got home because I thought it would be a good idea to just see the images. The X-ray showed I did break some ribs, but also that I had a little fluid in my lungs, so they suggested I go to the ER.”
He had to stop eating for 24 hours, but is now well on the way to recovery.
The success adds to Harvey’s incredible ultra history, which includes two wins at the Badwater 135-mile race, where he has one of the longest finishing streaks.
Vegan powered
Harvey’s been vegetarian since 1996 and vegan since 2016.
“I was unhealthy overall as kid, I could grab layers of fat around my stomach, and I always had irregularity using the restroom. I had heartburn, challenges like that.”
He urges everyone to consider making the change.
“At the individual It has power to increase quality of life at every category and to lower their risk in every category. At the macro level it has the power to revolutionise a nation.”
